Mangaluru: ‘Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others,’ famously said Jonathan Swift, who gave the world the fantasies of ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, among his famous works. And that’s exactly how a humble fabricators’ firm that originated in a hired-shed at Moodabidri, today has become a global name, because the man behind it had a vision that no one else had.
When G Ramakrishna Achar decided to venture into manufacturing of boilers and driers with – Sri Kalikamba Fabricators (SKF), it was not an easy path. “For commencing operations, we only had an initial capital of Rs. 10,000 in 1993 and an experience as a ‘mechanic’ in rice mill since 1987,” Achar who hails from Gangolli village in Kundapur Taluk of Udupi said.
Despite, being a high school dropout, Achar relied on his experience and he dared to dream big that helped him in making SKF a firm with global presence.
From manufacturing cookers, the firm – in just ten years – began making boiler-cum-driers, especially for the production of boiled rice with 100 tons in just eight hours’ capacity. With his dedication and hard work, Achar soon won over the trust of the millers, who would eventually vouch for the quality of his stainless steel plants and became his long-time loyal customers.
But, not to be caught off-guard, Achar soon caught the whiff of changing trend in eating habits of people, commissioning an extensive study on paddy harvesting and preparation of food, the SKF began manufacturing Vardan, the state-of-the-art paddy boiler-cum-drier which today has been widely marketed across the globe and recently even set up plant in Costa Rica.
In fact, Vardan is a true blessing for the industrialists as it not only saves on the power but also on expenditure. Unlike the old plant which consumes 70 HP of power, Vardan requires only 25 HP of power saving power worth Rs 4,500 per day. Even in fuel and broken content of rice, the Vardan has been exceptionally efficient.
What’s more, Dhanyalaxmi is SKF’s another flagship product. The Dhanyalaxmi helps paddy farmers in drying the moisture content in the harvested paddy. This has been a huge relief to farmers who otherwise had to depend on laborers to dry the paddy, which would fit the mill. Sometimes, the drying is not uniform, thus farmers would incur losses when the paddy was rejected by the mills. It is ideal for both farmers and millers which requires an investment of Rs 8 lakh and consumes only 9 HP of power.
With innovation being its second name, the SKF has widened its reach. Today, the firm has vowed to make pure water accessible to everyone through its SKF Elixir brand of Mineral Water Plants. The firm has launched mobile Mineral Water Plants that are proving a big hit in large gatherings. These mobile Mineral Water Plants are truly a panacea for the menace of waste plastic bottles that pile up after use choking the environment. Instead of serving the guests with mineral water bottles in functions, just reach out to SKF Elixir Plant which provides clean water at the spot, with no extra cost. To motivate people to ditch those plastic water bottles, the mobile van has paper cups to drink. They also encourage people to get their own steel or copper bottles which would go a long way in help preserve a clean e environment.
Going further, Achar has introduced Water ATMs or filling counter where people can afford to have a liter of 100 per cent pure mineral drinking water for at just one rupee. While you have to pay Rs 20 for a liter of water bottle in the market, one can get 20 liters of pure water at the filling counter for just Rs 5!
Currently, the plant has been set up on an experimental basis at Alangar, in Moodbidri, and the response has been overwhelming. The plants are incorporated with RO/UV/UF/TDS Control technology that help in eliminating the contaminants in water and bring the TDS and pH level to that of natural mineral water. These filling counters are much in demand in educational institutions, public places, and hospitals. Achar hopes that this will surely help in eliminating the plastic bottles and ensure ‘Swachch Bharath’.
“This was made possible because, as a young entrepreneur, I could anticipate the needs and requirements in the next 20 years and incorporate the future technology,” believes Achar.
Today, over 800 such plants have been set up all over Karnataka and have been exported to Sri Lanka. This speaks volumes of the efficiency and popularity of the plants. Acknowledging its service, the KBL & Nitte have felicitated it with the most innovative product award.
An entrepreneur with a social mission, Achar’s says his primary concern is the conservation of the environment and to he wants do his best to eliminate the carbon prints on the earth. “Having been in food grain processing industry for decades, we are closely aware of the extent of water contamination and the urgent need for pure, mineral water in India. Subsequently our focus is to provide filling counters in public places, thereby eliminating the menace of plastic bottles that pollute the environment and reduce healthcare expense of the people,” he says.
With an export footprint already in sundry foreign countries, and having achieved an annual turnover of Rs.3000 million, SKF further plans to incorporate global technology, total automation, low maintenance cost features, and lead the noble campaign of serving healthier food and beverages.
